Snail Fly?

A few years ago I was fishing Beda Lake with some friends. Someone
noticed fish rising and taking floating snails off the surface. We all
looked in our fly boxes but came up with only one snail fly between
us all. It was tied on, cast out, and hammered by a large trout which
promptly snapped it off. Oh well.... I have seen floating snails (migration?)
on some Westside lakes but have never given them a chance. Does
anyone here use them?
David

I was tying at the Sportsman's show on Wednesday and some guy brought up a fly that could pass. It was simply a 1/2 coffee bean hot glued to the back of a black spun fir on like a size 14 scud hook. He said it was an english fly of some sort. Coffee Bean. How about that.

I know of a certain lake in Idaho that I used to fish and want to make the trip there this summer, where the fish are usually stuffed with freshwater snails. It is amazing to cradle these fish and feel their stomach's rock hard with snails. These fish have never seen a fly so its fun to use big uglies and watch them aggressively attack your fly as soon as it hits the water, but a snail fly would also bring success.

I would probably go with a small root beer colored estaz body with either a foam back or hackle for buoyancy.

At the Puget Sound Fly Fishers/South South Fly Fishers/Alpine Fly Fishers booth. #163. 12pm to 2pm. It was fun. First time tying in public. I look forward to it again. I was tying damsel nymphs, chironomids, and a few other things. Mainly stillwater patterns.

A few years ago I was fishing the Chickohominy Resevoir near Burns, OR. It is full of snails. Its the primary food for the trout. I didn't have a snail pattern but a small black wooley bugger allowed for a some hook ups. But, there were some guys catching on almost every cast. A little black snail pattern. If you ever fish Chicohominy, little black snail pattern will get them.

Theres an article in the feb. issue of fly fisherman that show what looks like to be and ok pattern for a snail I haven't ever fished a snail pattern myself but have seen a number of ok patterns in books.
tony